Yupper, we were Yoopers Today!

First stop was Menominee, Michigan on the lower edge of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where all the Yoopers live!    This is the furthest I had previously been in Michigan....a couple of miles to say I was in Michigan.  It's been a long-time dream to explore this state further and now we're doing it.  My sister, Robyn worked in this city many years ago and one of her favorite spots was in view of the lighthouse.

Found another old barn right by Green Bay to take a photo of and I did not break any laws or cause any near accidents.

Escanaba is a beautiful city with a huge waterfront park.  The Sand Point lighthouse was basking in the sunshine.  It was fun to walk to the top.

The next stop was Fayette State Park about 16 miles south of Hwy 2.  It's an old company town that was built to support the smelting furnace for iron ore from 1867 - 1891.  Many buildings are still standing and it was a great town to walk around and into several of the buildings along the Snail Shell Harbor. 

As we were touring a storm system blew in and shut out our sunshine.

The temperature dropped about 15 degrees and a wall of fog and mist surrounded us so as we were driving and saw a sign for the Seul Choix Point lighthouse, supposedly the most haunted lighthouse on the Great Lakes, we took another side trip to this lighthouse.  The dark clouds and fog highlighted the need for these lighthouses for mankind's safety.

Now, that my photos are done uploading (took forever!) and I have had my jacuzzi bath after twelve hours of travel.....it's time for me to get to bed.  Tomorrow, Mackinac Island!

The Next Adventure Begins!

Picked up hubby at airport last night and after a slight delay locating his luggage (it came in on earlier flight), we had a brief visit with our long-time friends, Gary & Carole from Georgia.  They had just gotten into town (Minnetonka) for a two month visit and our paths crossed again!  They are looking so good and so is Gary's 97 years old mother.

Slept in Onalaska, WI, near LaCrosse and met up with sister, Robyn & family this morning.  It was her birthday and she started the celebration on Grandad Bluff overlooking LaCrosse.   Robyn & hubby, Jim.

Then we headed to their son, Carter's baseball tournament. On the way we passed a cemetery that had potted flowers at almost every grave site.  What a spectacular view. 

We also saw a unique grave marker shaped to look like a tree, first time we have seen that!

Got to the baseball field for a two games marathon that lasted five hours. Here are some action shots of Carter in action. 

Oops!  The last frame he got caught out at the slide into third base!  

Then we had dinner at The Lure Bar & Grill on Lake Petenwell.  

One last stop for ice cream for birthday girl and I, now it's "home" in Wisconsin Rapids!

SOS Club annual outing # 1 Day 2

Sister # 2 (Romey) who just turned 60 this month, and I continued our outing on North Shore of Lake Superior

today.  We had a room with lake view so that I could take photo of sunrise over the lake this morning.  Upon waking up at 5 a.m., the sky was overcast and right at the horizon was a dark red line separating the sky and sea!  

First stop - Gooseberry Falls, here are the upper falls.

Lower falls 

Split Rock Lighthouse from the highway overlook.

Next we found a pull-over (non state official) with a path going down to water.  Romey had to take a photo so that I wouldn't get in anymore trouble for "trespassing."

The trail did not generate any worthwhile photos, but a bridge overlook gave some good shots of Beaver Creek

Then it was back to Duluth for a late lunch at Grandma's and now back in Wisconsin.  Looking forward to next years SOS Club outing when we get to take another sister, Renell.  

I will resume daily blogging (I hope) on  Monday, June 30 when my hubby and I begin our five weeks trip in Northeast.  

SOS Club

My sister, Romey, recently joined me in the newly created club - SOS Club.  SOS - Sisters Over Sixty!  We are having our first annual SOS Club outing.  We left Grantsburg, Wisconsin and drove up to the North Shore of Lake Superior (Minnesota).  Lake Superior has a magical, mystical pull on so many souls.  Some souls that can't get to the ocean can get fulfilled at the large lakes of our country.  They can be equally fulfilling.  

When we left at noon, the temperatures was 81 and by the time we got two hours Up North, it was 50 degrees.  Another hour later at check-in to resort, we could see our breath when we talked outside!  Uffda! That's too cold.  

It's cold, windy and foggy...but we are snug as bug in a rug right now.  We bought identical hooded sweatshirts and T-shirts today (as I neglected to pack warm enough for this weather).  I know that everyone in my family seems to love the colors turquoise and aqua, but I didn't know we liked same patterns and styles so much too!  I am writing this sitting in my hoodie and waiting for room to warm up.  We have had our night caps (liquor) and have taken our medications for the night.  It's nine o'clock, so it's time for these two sisters over sixty to get to bed.  Sleep well, y'all!

Wild Women in Wyoming and in The Badlands!

Yesterday, June 10

Soon after getting into Wyoming, I spotted an old farm with an interesting looking barn, so we pulled into the place.  My sister Robyn and I took a few photos.  Then my other sister Rachel spotted a herd of antelope in the distance so I quickly switched to my zoom lens and took some more photos.

If you can zoom on the picture, you can see there are some baby antelope here too.  This was about half the group.  As we were driving out the driveway, saw a car with their signal to turn in and I figured they were using the driveway to turn around so I quickly got out of their way.  
As we continued to Devil's Tower, we made several stops at pull-offs to get photos.  Just before Devil's Tower (about 20 miles beyond the farm), a pick-up pulls along my car and a guy in a uniform comes up to my car as we were getting into it. He questioned me about where we had been.  Told him that we were taking photos and meant no harm.  He said we were trespassing and the owner (apparently person in the car coming into the driveway) reported us.  He said, "You ladies don't look like the type that would steal anything.  But I have to take your driver's license and run it through the records and put it on my report."   Later, he came back and told me where I can park my car and from where I can take photos of old barns .... the fence line.  Wild Women caught!

Only my mother had been to Devil's Tower before, so it was very interesting.  Devil's Tower was the first national monument.  Got some great photos as it was another postcard-perfect weather. But before we got to the parking lot by the tower, we saw a prairie dog town.

Don't tell them, but they look like rodents!

Here's a photo of the "devil" tower and the "wild woman."

Here's some more photos....

The few wispy clouds that came into the area made it appear as if the Tower (part of a volcano) is smoking.

We headed back to Rapid City and to my nephew Tim (sister RoAnn's son) and Tawnie and their three sons, Tyler, Tyson and Trey.  Here the family is pictured with my mother, their grandmother and great-grandmother!  What a perfect end to the day!

Today, June 11

The day broke with clouds and we headed for The Badlands National Park.   We drove 20+ miles and it took us four hours of stop and go.... no, not traffic.  Stop and take few dozen photos and then go another mile (or less) and go.  Repeat!  The first stop, I truly thought the wind was going to blow me off the cliff.  

We were above the canyons and down in the canyons.  

Other times, you would be on a green prairie that would open up to awesome cliffs.

Even though the sky was full of clouds, the sun broke through now and then we captured some interesting shots.

We had the unexpected pleasure of seeing Big Horn sheep... a couple of families!

On to Mitchell and the infamous Corn Palace. 

An an exhibit made of corn products to signify South Dakota and it's heritage.

Tomorrow we complete our trip back to Wisconsin.  It's been another good trip!  

Side Trip Scenarios

Another bright and sunny day.   I think we had plans to see Deadwood, South Dakota so we planned to head west.  As we were going through downtown Rapid City, a wayward car came barreling through the red light right at us.  We both came to stop about a foot from each other. If either of us had not stopped, we would have T-boned him or he T-boned us.  Thank goodness, I was in the right (green light) but that did not stop my nerves from being jangled a lot!  

We headed out on Interstate 90 and decided to venture into Wyoming (about 60 miles away) so that sister, Robyn Austin could add that state to her list of states visited.  

Then the conversation turned to who had seen Devil's Tower and discovered only my mother had.  So figuring out the round trip would not be too many more miles, we headed that way.  

*** WiFi is very low strength tonight and I'm not able to download photos.  Sorry!  Tune in tomorrow night for the rest of the story!!  

Black Hills, South Dakota

Saturday, we stayed at friends, Don & Betty, in Sioux Falls, SD.  What a beautiful city and the falls were exceptional with all the recent rain.

Sunday, we traveled through lots of rain and low-hanging clouds.  Today, woke up to sunshine and clear blue skies!  Black Hills, here we come!

First stop, Mount Rushmore.

What an awesome group of guys, huh??  My sister, Robyn and I took the Presidential Trail hike up close to the monument.  Gave us lots of opportunities to take more photos like the one below with a little different angle.

On to the Crazy Horse Memorial.  The head is complete and much larger project than Mount Rushmore.  

The next photo shows the projected sculpture with the completed head in the crook of the arm.

Now on to the Needles Highway in the Custer State Park.  Twists, turns, steep drop-offs, and tunnels!  What a fun road to drive!

Saw a beautiful lake surrounded by rocks.

Rocks everywhere!

The needles eye, therefore the name of the highway!